Filename: Standard.Edi Type : Editorial/Opinion Author : Dan Brown Date : 08/08/92 Desc. : A proposal for standards in distributed UFO archival files, and maintainence of UFO archival textfiles ----------------------------------------------------------------------- Standards.Edi - Revision 3 Through the course of my limited, though consistent, venturing into the area of UFOs and alien research, it has become extremely evident that something called "Organization" is found to be very lacking in the area of UFO and related textfiles. These files, as far as I can tell, make up close to 75% of the average researcher/hobbyists data base, and if the state of this vast archive of information is any indicator of the condition of UFO research in the United States, we are definitely in very sad shape. After setting up a meager UFO information area on my bulletin board system, and after editing and reformatting close to 15 megabytes of textfiles, (many of which could not even be read by any word-processor I have at my disposal,) I have come to realize that we desperately need to standardize our text-archival resources. Unfortunately, it was only after I had finished my reformatting task that I realized that there was more that needed to be done... Oh well, Such is life! ... I realize that this type of dasterdly thinking presents it's own set of problems to overcome, but if we're all as good as we say we are when it comes to doing dedicated research and the like, then I feel we can topple any mounting problem piles we encounter. My first proposal, if you will, is as follows. My examples are in no way exhaustive, but merely meant as a stepping stone toward an organized, and thereby effective, archival collection which all can information draw from. A) All files should be straight ASCII-Only text. 1: No extended ASCII/ATASCII/PETASCII characters (Chr$ 128-255) 2: No ANSI control codes (Cursor movement, color changes, etc) 3: No Standard control Codes. (Keyboard, Screen, Printer, etc...) (a) Many of the UFO related textfiles I have seen come over the network have left their word processor's proprietary brand of formatting intact. This is fine if you happen to have the same word processor, or the same computer type as the author of the file, but if you don't, well, you may be out of luck. Remedy: If you are using something like Word Perfect, or one of the more popular word processors, save the file as an ASCII text. It's really hard trying to decipher those control codes! Or, send them to me, and I'll reformat them! B) All uppercase lettering should not be used. 1: It hurts the eyes! 2: It's hard to read. 3: It's generally considered "shouting" 4: It does not represent "Official-ness" (a) As a person that suffers from dyslexia, I can assure you that all upppercase lettering is one of the hardest things for someone with this condition to read. C) Files should contain a left margin of at least 4-5 spaces 1: Easier to hole-punch for placing in notebooks. 2: Offers some room for making notes. D) Clean up files that you have copied from any message bases. -and- Clean up files that you intend to import into any message base. 1: "MORE ?" (I'm sure you've seen this in at least 10 files!) 2: Edit routing info from UseNet/InterNet/Other "imported" files. E) Sysops: Clean up the files on your system. 1: Please check the integrity and content of the UFO files harbored on their systems, and fix them if necessary. F) One textfile per archive. 1: There have been times when I have seen archival packets that have consisted of files which are duplicates of files which normally circulate individually. Since most sysops do not check the content of the UFO files they store their systems, we end up playing host to "Duplicate Infested" archives, thus wasting valuable time and disk space. G) Keep the original filenames to avoid duplication. 1: At the time I first began sorting out the UFO files on my system, I started out with over 800 files. After going through each of them and cutting out the duplicates, I ended up with a little over 570 UFO files. One file, "CARP.TXT", was duplicated 9 times with various, but similar, filenames. H) Adoption of a "Standardized Textfile Header" 1: Any seriously adopted header would be nice! (a) Example 1 -Text/Document Header <- (Margin) Filename: TextFile.Rpt Type : Sighting Report Author : John Doe Date : 00/00/00 Desc. : Report of Bob's CE-III (Part I of III) "Bob's Lunch with Andrew the Alien - Part I" [Main Body of Text...] (b) Example 2 -Types for Header and Filename extensions (These are ONLY examples, and not exhaustive or definative) Type: .Ext Description: ----------------------------------------------------------------------- Abduction - ABD - Abduction reports, accounts, information Conferences - CNF - Transcripts of conferences/Guest speakers Contact - CON - Alien contact, accounts, information Crop Circles - CIR - Crop Circle information EBE/ET/Aliens - EBE - Info on Aliens Editorial/Opinion - EDI - Personal Opinions, editorials, & Viewpoints FOIA - FOI - Freedom of info act files Interview - INT - Transcript of Interviews Letter - LTR - Letters / Correspondence Research Group Info - GRP - Group information -MUFON, CUFOS, etc.. Transcripts - TRN - Radio transcripts Investigator Files - INV - Research aides, Investigator Files Men in Black - MIB - Info on Men in Black Message Base Thread - THD - Transcripts of message base conversations Miscellaneous - MSC - Stuff that just doesn't fit anywhere Mutilation - MUT - Animal/Human mutilations related to UFOs Personal Accounts - PER - Accounts: Not direct Abductions/Contacts Site/Incident Files - INC - Roswell, Dulce, Gulf Breeze, etc... Sighting Report - RPT - CE-I through CE-III (see ABD for CE-IV+) --- When other see the condition of our archives, what must they think of our so called professionalism? Take care, Please refer all correspondence to: Dan Brown Data/BBS: 1710 1/2 "X" Street (Lower) -------- Sacramento, California -OR- Gates of Delirium 95818 (1200-14.4k Baud) US: 916/446-0347 US: 916/446-7286 FidoNet 1:203/163 MufoNet 88:4602/17